Did anyone see the two-part documentary on King George V and Queen Mary? I don't usually watch royal stuff on TV as it's usually very sycophantic, but this was quite good on the whole (well, yes, actually there was a little sucking-up but not too bad).
I was fascinated by Queen Mary - she is really quite a shadowy figure in this modern age - and I didn't know anything about her before. I didn't realise she had a heavy German accent for example, nor that as a girl she was not totally royal and was addressed as 'Her Serene Highness' rather than 'Her Royal Highness'. She married her dead finance's brother - she was due to marry Prince Eddy, the eldest of Edward VII - but match maker Queen Victoria just swapped Eddy for George and told them to get on with it, and so Mary did.
King George had changed his long German name to 'Windsor' after WWI to appear more British. Mary got Churchill on her side when she disapproved of Louis Mountbatten's attempt to change the family surname again, from Windsor to Mountbatten, at the present Queen's marriage to Prince Phillip. Churchill agreed and said no, so the name remained Windsor.
Queen Mary adored jewellery in particular tiaras and her long strings of pearls and pearl chokers, and was always beautifully dressed as she realised the British public wanted to see her fully play her part of the public spectacle she started to call 'the Firm'.
She was cultured, had lived in Italy as a girl, and a very keen collector of antiques and art: her courtiers and friends knew only to well not to show off their latest acquisitions as she would wistfully admire a piece, often saying 'ohh, I have its twin...' and then the poor person would feel obliged to offer their object to the Queen as a gift. There was a lovely shot of her leaving an antiques shop with a very satisfied smile - I know how she felt - had she just haggled the dealer down a quid or two?
I would love to know more about her and I do feel she has been neglected by the modern media - after all, she was Queen for 26 years and Dowager Queen for a further 17 years. And, doesn't our present Queen look so much like her grandmother?
missed this documentary, but it certainly looked interesting. I will have to see if I can get it on iplayer... Lizzie
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the programme but it sounds really interesting. I don't know anything about Queen Mary.
ReplyDeleteJo & Lizzie - yes, it's very strange, she just isn't well-known at all, yet she was beautiful, elegant, and very supportive of the King & Country. Mind you, they were awful parents apparently!
ReplyDeleteyes I must admit I do not know much about Queen Mary.
ReplyDeleteThe waists look tiny imagine having to wear a corset now!. There would be no second helpigs ! x x
Mrs NS - yes, and strangely enough, her mother Princess Mary Adelaide was enormous! They cruelly called her 'Fat Mary'-she was was very extravagant and loved food and indulging herself, got into debt and had to scarper off to Italy...
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